Grants / Department of Justice / Bureau of Justice Assistance

O-BJA-2021-09004: BJA FY 21 Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants Program (formula)

Closed Closed June 24, 2021 Opportunity O-BJA-2021-09004 ☆ Save

This grant is closed. A newer notice from the same program is open now: BJA FY26 Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement - Formula Grants Program (O-BJA-2026-172759). Status: Closes November 10, 2026 (3 days left). It is in our archive of Bureau of Justice Assistance notices from 2021.

• Award ceiling$2.3 million
• Total funding$29.7 million
• Expected awards55
• Cost sharingRequired
• Funding typeGrant

Key dates

Who can apply

This opportunity was open to state and local governments.

• State governments
• Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)

For purposes of this solicitation— A state/local government entity performing forensic science services is considered a “forensic science laboratory” if it employs one or more full-time scientists: With a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in a natural or formal science (e.g., chemistry, physics, biology, computer science, or a closely related field) and Whose principal function is to examine, analyze, and interpret physical and/or digital evidence in criminal matters and provide reports and testimony to courts of law regarding such evidence. Law enforcement units operating outside of the crime laboratory function, such as crime scene units and other entities that engage exclusively in evidence collection and documentation, are not forensic science laboratories for these purposes. Medical examiner and coroner offices are treated as forensic science laboratories. State Administering Agencies (SAAs) apply on behalf of states, including any state government entity. For purposes of this solicitation, the term “state” means any state of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virginia Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. All recipients and subrecipients (including any for-profit organization) must forgo any profit or management fee.

More grants for state and local governments.

Is this a realistic fit?

• Past Paul Coverdell Forensic Sciences Improvement Grant Program awards averaged $393,477; this notice allows up to $2.3 million per award.
• Most of the program's money (99% over five years) went to state and local governments.
• The notice requires cost sharing or matching funds, so you must contribute part of the project cost.

What the grant funds

The Department of Justice is committed to advancing work that promotes civil rights, increases access to justice, supports crime victims, protects the public from crime and evolving threats, and builds trust between law enforcement and the community. BJA seeks proposals for formula funding under the Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants Program (the Coverdell Program), which awards grants to states and units of local government to improve forensic science and medical examiner/coroner services. Under the Coverdell Program, State Administering Agencies (SAAs) may apply for both formula and competitive funds. This solicitation is ONLY for SAAs applying for the formula funds. An applicant that seeks to apply for Coverdell competitive funds (consistent with 34 U.S.C. § 10563(a)(2)) available for grants to eligible states and units of local government would need to apply under BJA's FY 2021 Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants Program (Competitive) solicitation.

Applying now

This notice no longer takes applications. Apply under the newer notice, O-BJA-2026-172759, which is open now.

The notice on Grants.gov keeps its full text and attachments, which is useful for planning a resubmission.